cycling study

Does HIIT Cycling Training Improve Running Performance?

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These two studies looked at cycling HIIT training’s effects on running performance. It seems that HIIT training does help running performance to a degree. Study One Summary The Effect of Different Recovery Intervals in High-Intensity Cycling Training on Running Performance A recent study examined how the ratio of work-to-rest intervals during high-intensity interval cycling training (HIIT) impacts running … Read more

Critical Power vs. Functional Threshold Power: What Endurance Athletes Should Know

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Two recent studies attempt to compare critical power with FTP and evaluate their predictive benefits of steady-state abilities. SUMMARY OF STUDY 1 In this study, a group of 17 trained cyclists and triathletes were tested to determine their critical power (CP) and functional threshold power (FTP). CP is the highest power output that can be sustained for … Read more

Is FTP A Valid Metric to Set Training Zones? Examining the Validity of Functional Threshold Power as an Endurance Performance Marker of MLSS

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STUDY SUMMARY Functional threshold power tests can provide a valid estimate of MLSS in endurance athletes, especially well-trained cyclists. This study examined whether an athlete’s functional threshold power (FTP), determined by a 20-minute time trial, can accurately predict their maximal lactate steady state (MLSS). MLSS is the highest exercise intensity at which lactate levels in the blood remain stable. Finding MLSS requires multiple invasive blood lactate … Read more

The Potential Benefits of Quercetin Supplementation for Endurance Cyclists

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Study Summary This small pilot study examined whether seven days of quercetin supplementation (1,000 mg/day) could improve energy metabolism, reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, and enhance high-intensity cycling performance in 12 physically active male students. Using a randomized, single-blind crossover design, participants completed two seven-day supplementation periods of quercetin and placebo, separated by a week … Read more

Music Offers No Competitive Edge for Endurance Athletes

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Music Provided No Actual Performance or Ergogenic Benefits Listening to self-selected motivational music conferred no actual performance benefits or changes during a simulated 10km competitive time trial. A recent study evaluated the effects of listening to self-selected motivational music during a 10km cycling time trial in well-trained cyclists. The cyclists performed the time trial on two separate occasions, once while listening … Read more

Eccentric Cycling Training: An Efficient Way for Endurance Athletes to Build Muscle and Power

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Eccentric Resistance Training on the Bike. An Alternative to Pushing Big Gears for Added Strength A 2014 study examined whether eccentric cycling training could improve muscle size and maximum cycling power in 23 recreational athletes. Eccentric cycling involves pedaling while resisting the forward motion of the cranks to generate high forces. The study found just two sessions per week of eccentric cycling for … Read more

Should You Warm Up? How a Pre-Race Warm-Up May Prime Two Different Responses Depending On Your Fitness

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How You Warm Up, and the Effect It Has Can Differ Based on your τVO2 and Event Duration Recent studies show that doing an active “warm-up” before an endurance event may improve how you perform. Scientists call this the “priming effect.” A warm-up changes how fast your body adapts its oxygen use when you start … Read more

Exogenous Ketone Esters Appear to Improve The Number of Capillaries and Oxygen Delivery in Cyclists

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Increased Capillaries , VEGF, eNOS and Potential Higher Oxygen Deliver and Waste Product Removal A recent study found that ketone ester supplements may help cyclists improve performance by boosting their body’s ability to deliver oxygen to muscles during intense training. Researchers studied 18 healthy and fit male volunteers, including cyclists, over 3 weeks of endurance overload cycling – … Read more

How long before an A-Race can you stop strength training and not lose strength gains?

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Can Cyclists Maintain Gains After Stopping Strength Training? A recent study explored if competitive cyclists could retain performance and strength improvements achieved from concurrent resistance and endurance training after stopping resistance training. Researchers studied nine well-trained competitive male cyclists over 14 weeks. For the first 8 weeks, the cyclists did periodized resistance training for their legs and core in … Read more

How To Become More Adaptable to Race Situation Changes

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Competitive endurance athletes are always seeking ways to improve their performance. A recent study investigated the effects of changing the race distance on an athlete mid-race. The study looked at the Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) and how they coped with this manipulation. RPE is a measure of how hard an athlete feels they are … Read more